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Nearly there - just one more to go, please advise!

OK, my 17.5 mo dd and I are down to just one nursing, first thing in the morning when she wakes up. This is at about 6:15 am. Yesterday I tried to give her a cup of milk. She pushed it away and acted very insulted ("What is THAT? Are you KIDDING me?"). I brought her into our room and nursed her in bed for about 15-20 minutes, then gave her the cup of milk. She drank a lot of milk from the cup, then wanted a go at the other breast, which I allowed.

This morning I was too tired to try any new tactics so I just nursed her. I think she only nursed on one side, but I'm not sure about that.

What should I do to get her to drop this last nursing? Please let me know what you've tried that has worked (please, no book recommendations! ).

Re: Nearly there - just one more to go, please advise!

I'll be watching this thread also that's were I'm with with my 3 year old.
She drving me batty in the morning. I don't mind at night, but she comes in the morning and wants to wake me up early. uggg....
The only thing that worked with my 5 year old was getting pg with his little sis. lol.... I got this fealing that if I didn't make him stop he was going to suck my nipples off. SO I just told him it was all gone and he was ready to wean with a little bit of help. What does she do if your not in bed in the morning? That might be the trick if your already up and dressed?
I keep telling myself that my dd is going to be more healthy with the 2 nursings that she is getting. If she will nurse untill spring she will be 4 in june.
You could try talking to her about it, they are smarter then we give them creit for.

Re: Nearly there - just one more to go, please advise!

That's a tough one.....Are you co-sleeping, or does your dd sleep in her own crib? I may not have any good advice for a co-sleeper, but for what it's worth, I'll tell you what worked for us. Of course, my ds's hardest nursing session to give up was in the middle of the night, which is different than first thing in the morning.

I just found something my son wanted to eat and fed him that first thing. Fruit, cereal (cold or hot), whatever. I didn't offer him the breast, I just got up with him and sat him in his high chair. I also didn't offer him milk or juice, except after he was done eating. I will say, though, that my ds dropped the morning feeding as one of the first ones to go--around 11-12 months.

I have also heard that shortening the length of the feeding a little at a time can work, rather than cutting it cold turkey. Might work for a lo that really wants that feeding.

I have a friend that had difficulties with the first morning nursing--her husband took over the wake routine for a few days until her dd got the hang of not nursing in the morning. Could that work for you?

I hope one method works for you. Don't sweat it--when it's meant to happen, it will.

Re: Nearly there - just one more to go, please advise!

We're not co-sleeping, she sleeps in a crib in her room. I love my husband dearly and he is a wonderful father. But he is just useless in the morning. So I could try to get him involved, and I'm sure he'd try, but frankly I think it'd make the whole process harder for everyone if he was really exhausted all morning. Plus when he's tired he's not exactly gentle and loving (try cranky and short-tempered) and I really don't want to add that to the weaning process.

So..... What I gather from everything I've read is that I've got to - gasp - get up with her and start the day. At 6:15.

I'm wondering if anyone has any particular suggestions for yummy treats that worked to replace nursing. I have in mind that I could make a bunch ahead of time, talk with her about it, and then give her one in the morning when she wakes up and wants to nurse. I don't know, it just seemed like a nice 'ceremonial' way to do this.

Re: Nearly there - just one more to go, please advise!

Hey--anything is worth a try. You can try one thing, and if it doesn't work after a few tries, try something else.

I understand about your husband being cranky if he has to be the early riser. Mine is crabby if his sleep is interrupted, and yet mine was interrupted for a few years (I included pregnancy in there) and I didn't complain! Gotta love him, though. Best to try to keep peace in the house.

Re: Nearly there - just one more to go, please advise!

I have a 14 month old that I am weaning. He sleeps with us and when he is ready to get up we have a little routine. I help him down from the bed and we walk to the kitchen where he points to the cookie jar. I keep Kadem tea biscuits (they are kind of like animal crackers) in the cookie jar. I give him one while I get a sippy cup of dole 100% juice. When I first started to wean him from the morning nursing I would give him a sippy cup of goats milk but his daddy started to give him some of his orange juice and he liked that better. The cookie habit started one morning when I took him to the kitchen and gave him one to distract from the morning nursing routine, Now he asks for it on his own.

Sometimes you just have to explain to them that they aren't a baby anymore and that you don't do that anymore. It is hard at first but after a week they will understand that the nursing is over. I think that it is sometimes harder on the Mom because it breaks our hearts to tell them no but you have to be strong and not give in, thats the hard part.

My husband is a great help and he understands how important his help is in the weaning process. The baby knows that he won't get milk out of Daddy so if Daddy spends a little more time with them it doesn't take long for them to forget about nursing. Of course Daddy must have a good attitude about it, if not it isn't worth dealing with a "big baby" ontop of having to take care of a little one.